Lamp stand



March 16, 1937. M, OZLEK 2,073,754

LAMP STAND Filed Jan. 4, 1934 p 129.3. "IIS .2.

Inpen tor:

. Qy r/'S atoray I Patented Mar. 16, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to lamp stands.

'Ihe ordinary forms of adjustable electric lamp stands and tables arefaulty in various parts of their construction, particularly in theiradjust- 5 able features. When adjusting a lamp stand with respect to itsheight, the electric cable or cord, inside of the members of the stand,will chafe or cut and become tangled, unless special provision is madeto overcome these diiculties and embodled in the construction of thestand. The cord usually passes through a hole in the base from theoutside and is left free to move through the hole during a lengtheningof the stand for additional height, or is free to be pulled out from itsslack condition, when moving the lamp stand and unwittingly tighteningthe cord by yanking the lamp to some extended position, leaving no slackcord within the stand to permit of the easy extension of the stand inheight, requiring the pulling back of the cord within the base, throughthe joint construction permitting an easy sliding of the` parts joined,when manually moved in adjustment, while affording a normal holdingfriction which will not slip of its own accord, after the parts havebeen normally adjusted, as desired. In this connection I have a furtherobject to provide a simple and inexpensive frictional element that canalways be relied upon to ykeep the joint in reliable functioningcondition, irrespective of ordinary wear, for a long time.

A further object is to provide a simple form of frictional element whichwill operate within a comparatively small space between parts connectedto telescope one another. 40 A further object is to provide a simpleform of spring friction element which, when assembled with a slidingjoint, will be anchored therein and provide aj reliable and constantamount of friction to the joint, while bearing against the main memberof the device, having such a joint, along which another member ismanually slid for position, to be held there, by the frictional means,until further manually adjusted. In this case, the main member may beany kind of a stand or arm upon which a transverse member is manuallypositioned or slid, which may be a bracket, atable top or another arm.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive form of adjustablefrictional jointbe- 551tween sliding-or telesccping members of stands(Cl. 24U-81) ate with a stop, and will come against whatever l0l closureforms part of the sliding joint, between the telesccping members, whileserving to-prevent the pulling apart of the members, when manuallyadjusting them. I desire also to provide in combination with the spurelement, a centering fricvl5' tional member, spaced from the spurelement, and acting to keep the joined members in alignj ment.

Another object is to provide with a lamp stand,

a separable and flanged bowl member for sup- 20' porting the parts uponwhich the lighting bulbs are mounted and to have bored in the bowl walland flange, holes having convenient relative directions, affording easythreading passages forl the attached electric cords, thus saving time in,2"5-r assembling the same at the factory.

A further object of my invention is to form the lower part of the lampstand of two tubular members, one above the other, having the lower oneof a larger bore than the upper one, to facilitate 307 the movement ofthe electric cord passing up through them, so as to prevent the crowdingof the cord upon itself and giving freedom to whatever bends occur, andpermit the formation of larger bends toward the base of the stand, for353w the lfreer movement of the cord in the whole length of the tubularand telescopic stand.

I also desire to provide a simple and quickly assembled cord joint forXing-the electric cord where it passes through a hole in the base of the40- stand, so that the cord can not move in or out of the hole in thebase and chafe or out, once sufficient cord is left inside the stand forits fullest extension in height, and thus avoid any outside interferencewith the amount of cord de- 45 signed to remain within the stand for allits adjustments.

A further object is toprovide with a stand, a table top surrounding theupright member of the stand upon which it is mounted for vertical ad- 50justment, in which case the stand may be a lamp stand extending abovethe table to support lamps and shades, or the stand may only form anupright member to support the table at various manually adjusted andfricticnally held heights.

In connection with a lamp stand, my object is to have the table topmanually adjusted, independent of any other adjustments of the standitself.

5 With these and other objects, which will hereinafter appear, myinvention resides in certain construction, various embodiments of whichare illustrated in the drawing. The parts are described, theirfunctioning is explained, and what I claim is set forth.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a sectional, assembled elevation of a lamp stand and table,embodying my invention.

l5 Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the upper parts of thestand shown in Figure 1, but here having the electric cord omitted.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the mid-portion of thestand, showing particularly the manually adjustable friction means,

with the spur element stopped against it.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fragment of the spring friction,holding block, which supports the table top on the stand.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the formation of the cable xingjoint, including a cotter pin, illustrated o-n a fragment of the baseshell.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a leaf spring,

frictioning element.

Figure '7 is a sectional elevation of two joined members with myfrictioning element affording frictional holding means for thetransverse member.

In the gures, there is shown screwed into the base shell I0, the tubularmember II, upon the top of which is threaded the collar l2. Screwed intothe collar I2 is the tubular member I3, smaller in bore than the bore ofthe member Il.

40 The upper end, of the wall, of the member I3 is beveled convergentlydownward at I4. Threaded upon the outside of the upper end of the memberI3 is the sleeve I5, having an axial hole I6, in sliding engagement withwhich is the tubular member I1, which extends down into the member I3and has at its lower end, a spring fingered piece I3, having the ends ofthe fingers I9 in spring pressed and frictional engagement with theinner wall of the tubular member I3. Spaced above the piece I8 is thespur 29, which spring presses against the inner wall of the member,-

exerting preferably an appreciable friction, while being in slidingengagement therewith.

Within the sleeve I5 and contacting the tubular member I1, which itsurrounds, is the flexible packing ring 2I, having a semi-circularsection between the sleeve I5 and the member I1 and preferably made ofsuitable, compressible wood, adapted to t into the beveled end I4,

of the member I3, and the rounded inside upper part of the sleeve I5, soas to compress against the tube I1, when the sleeve I5 is screwed down.The member I1 is slightly spaced from the surrounding member I3 and thespur 23 is 65.adapted to stop against the packing ring 2I on its way up,as shown in Figure 3.

In threaded engagement with the upper end of the tube I1 is the tubularhandle 22, through which the electric cord or cable 23 passes.Surmounting the handle 22 is the flanged bowl 24, having a bowl body 25and a circular flange 25. Within the bowl body 25 is `the C-frame orhickey 21, having a tubular, threaded extension 28, passing down throughthe bowl body 25 and engaging .the handle 22. The bore of the extension28 is in line with the cable hole 29, in the handle 22. An upperextension 38, to the C-frame 21, passes up through the curved bowl cover3| and engages the shade support 32. In the upper part of the shadesupport 32 is the axially positioned metal tubular bushing 33, in whichslides the rod 34, having its lower end split at 35, for frlctional andsliding engagement with the bushing 33. If desired, the bushing 33 canbe omitted and the rod 34 can fit an axial hole in the support 32, insliding engagement therewith. The central shade nut 36 is xed to theupper end of the rod 34 and has radiating spokes 31, connected with theframe of the shade 38, in the usual manner. Above the nut 36 is anothernut 39, engaging the rod 34. Fixed to the top of the rod 34 is the nialor cap ornament 49.

Referring again to the bowl 24 and its cover 3 I, there is a canopyswitch 4I fixed to the cover 3|. The flange 26, of the bowl 24, hasvertical holes 42, in the upper part of each is screwed a nipple 43,holding a light tube base 44, upstanding from which is a light tube 45,supporting a light bulb 45. Leading radially from the bowl cavity 41, toeach hole 42, is an inclined cable hole 48, which opens into the loweropen end of the hole 42. Considering now the wire cable 23, where itpasses through the hole 49, in the base shell I0, it is shown (moreclearly in Figure 5) to pass out through the hole 49 and over andthrough the loop 50, of the Cotter pin 5I, which also occupies the hole49, having its lower ends spread in fixed relation to the base shell I9,holding the electric cord 23 from working through the hole 49, in orout.

Considering now the table top in sliding engagement with the stand, ablock 52, has passing through its central hole 53, the stand member I1.In communication with the hole 53, in the top of the block 52, is ashallow recess 54 which is engaged by a bent end 55, of a curved leafspring 5B, which bears against the side of the stand member I1. Alsopositioned within the hole 53, of the block 52 is the curved leaf spring51, having a tongue 58, anchored in a hole or pocket 59, in the block52, to hold the spring 51 in its place, within the hole 53, of the block52, while being in spring pressed frictional and sliding engagement withthe stand member I1.

Fixed on top of the block 52, and holding the bent end 55, of the'spring 56, in the pocket or recess 54, is the table top 60, with a holein its center, in line with the hole 53, of the block 52, for thepassage of the member I1, up through the table top 60.

As another adaptation of the frictional use of the leaf spring 51, withits tongue 58, there is shown in Figure 7, an upright member 6 I, havingin sliding engagement therewith, the transverse member 62, with abearing part 63, through which is the hole 64, having in slidingengagement therewith the member 6I. The curved leaf spring 51 is shownwithin the hole 64, having its tongue 58, engaging the transverse smallhole 65, in the bearing part 63.

In use let us consider the functioning of the parts of the lamp standand the table top above described, particularly the adjustment of theseparts, relative to one another. Assume that the stand is completelyassembled, as shown in Figure 1, and we are about to make the variouspossible adjustments. To begin with, if we consider the parts relativelyplaced some where between the lowest and the highest positions, as shownin Figure 1, with the electric cord fixed by the cot- Cil ter pin I atthe hole 49, in the base shell I0, and

the cord in a slack condition as shown with small bends in the tubularmember I3 and with larger bends in the larger tubular member II, it isyobviousthat the cord 23, while moving with the following parts, thebowl 24, the handle 22 and the tubular member I'I, therev will be notendency on the part of the cord to buckle within these parts, as it isnot called upon to move relatively to them. However, where it occupiesthe lower tubular, xed members, it must necessarily have a tendency tocrowd back upon itself or buckle within these Xed parts, during thedownward move-l ment of the lower end of the member I'I, thus shorteningthe distance which the cord part below member I 1 must occupy betweenthe floor and the lower end ofthe member I'I. If the fixed member I I,were of the same inside diameter as the xed member I3, it is evidentthat in such a length between the lower end of the movable member I'Iand the oor, there would necessarily be more of a tendency on this lowerpart of the cord to crowd together and choke within the fixed tubularlower members and cause wear and tear and possible cutting of the cordinsulation which might result in a short circuit between the two wiresin the electric cord 23, than if the member I I is made larger in borethan the bore of the member I3, thus giving additional freedom for thelower part of the cord 23, to form larger bends and thus better take upthe slack in such formation and form less resistance to the downwardmovement of the cord parts immediately above and within the member I3.

Of course, it is true that sufficient freedom for cord slackness wouldbeafforded by having one tubular member replace the members II and I3, ofan internal diameter as large or larger than that of member II, but sucha tubular member would cost more than two tubular members, where theupper member is smaller in internal diameter than the lower member andthe tendency of trade requirements is to have the tubular members of theadjustable and non-adjustable stands as slender as possible, both forappearance and economy. It is therefore an important and practicalfeature of my invention to have the member I3 of a smaller bore than thebore of the member II. I might add that the drawing shows the width ofthe tubular parts drawn wider in relation to the length of these partsthan they were in the actual commercial model from which the drawing wasmade. This distortion was made in the drawing to better illustrate theconstruction of these parts.

Considering the lower part of the cord 23, where it passes through thehole 49, the lacing of the cord 23 with the cotter pin 5I isparticularly illustrated inFigure 5, as explained above in connectionwith a description of these parts. This `construction aifords. a ready,practical and quickly assembled means of fixing the oord 23, at the hole49, and by so fixing the cord to the stand base, I always maintain theright amount of cord within the stand for the requirements of itslongitudinal adjustment. 1

Referring now to the manually adjusted frictioning means including thesleeve I5 and the packing 2T, we have in these parts means for adelicate adjustment of the sliding friction between the movable andnon-movable longitudinal parts of the stand affording opportunity offixing such friction in amount for normally and continuously holding upthe upper parts of the stand and their attachments, while permitting ofan easy, manually forced, longitudinal adjustment of the parts. 'I'hisadjustable frictional means also functions where there has to besupported by the stand a somewhat heavy lamp fixture and shade, so thatthe manufacturer of the lamp stand has in this adjustable frictionalmeans a wide range of adaptability.

As' a means for facilitating the hold of the one who operates thelongitudinal adjustment `of the stand, the handle 22 is more easily andfirmly gripped by the hand than if this handle were replaced by anextensionV of the tube or pipe member Il with its smooth surface. At thesame time, the handle 22, properly designed, adds to the appearance ofthe stand.

Now let us consider the anged bowl means 24, with attachments forsupporting the lamps or bulbs and the shade. This means is designed toafford a compact and ornamental fixture part to facilitate the quick andsimple threading of the electric cord 23 and its branch connections tothe canopy switch 4I and the bulbs 46, by providing particularly a bowlcavity 41 and connecting cord passages 48 and 42, which open below attheir juncture, so that the threading of these passages with the cordparts, is made easier by such open junction of the passages.

Referring to the means affording a vertical adjustment of the shade 38,relative to the bulbs 46, the split member 34, Which may be a rod or atube, frictions with the member 33 sufficiently to afford normal holdingof the parts together from slipping, while permitting of an easy manualadjustment of the shade height, where it is desired to regulate thedirection of the shadow cast by the shade 38, after adjusting the heightof the lamps.

It is convenient, in connection with an adjustable lamp stand, to have atable top support for cigars, ash trays, etc., and to have this tabletop adjustable on the stand for height. The weight of the supportedobjects placed upon such a table top is comparatively small, and we arethus permitted to use frictional elements in connection of such -a tabletop, which may be simple in construction and reliable for long usewithout resorting to any kind of a clamp. I have therefore devised twoforms of curved leaf springs 56 and 5l, having bent end formations toengage pockets or holes connected with the central hole in the block orpart, as in 52 or 83 (see Figure '7) Vand through which passes the xedlongitudinal holding, stand member, I3 or ISI, as the case may be, foranchorage of the leaf spring against movement within the part itoccupies, While it is being slid on the stand member against which itexerts a normal holding friction to support a table top, as shown inFigure l, or an armas shown in Figure '7. If we dispense with all partsof the stand and attachments above the table top 6I), of Figure l, wewill still have a stand with a vertically adjustable table top, and ifsuch a table top is to be large, the frictioning leaf springs 56 and 5l,can be made larger and stronger, according to the requirements. VihileI'have shown two leaf springs 56 and 5l in the block 52, either of thesesprings can be dispensed with in this construction and the retainedspring made to suit the requirements as shown in Figure 7, where onlyone leaf spring is used. For anchoring such leaf springs, one end can bebent as 55, on the spring 56, or a tongue 5B, as on spring 5l, can beformed for engaging a hole or pocket transverse to the hole in the blockor part it occupies.

Various modiiications can be m-ade in the embodiments of my inventionillustrated and above described without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention, I therefore wish to include all forms andmodifications thereof which come within the purview of the followingclaims.

I claim,

l. An electric lamp stand including in combination, a base, alongitudin-al upright member, electric bulbs, an electric cord and adisc ilange centrally mounted upon said upright member, and extendingradially out therefrom, a depressed pocket in the center of said iiange,upstanding, electric, bulb supports on said flange, mounted thereon nearits periphery, a cap, said cap coveringthe top of said pocket, said angehaving vertical holes, in which are fixed said supports,

said Vertical holes opening on the underside of said ange, and otherholes radiating from the hollow of said depressed pocket, forming cordpassages, communicating with the lower open ends of said holes forfacilitating the threading of said cord through said depressed pocketand its ange to connect with said bulbs.

2. A lamp stand made in accordance with claim 1, wherein said uprightmember includes a flanged portion,l midway of its height, adapted toserve the purposes of a table.

3. A lamp stand made in accordance with claim l, wherein said uprightmember is hollow between said disc member and said base, for the passageof said cord.

MORRIS OZLEK.

